has continued updating stakeholders about the process of integrating ITA Airways into its operations, announcing that it has started the sale of over 100 new codeshare connections within Europe.
Codesharing begins
In a statement on February 25, Lufthansa Group said that starting today, it has begun selling tickets on over 100 new codeshare routes within Europe, which includes ITA Airways’
flight network.
“With today’s sales launch, over 100 new codeshare connections can be booked by both ITA Airways and the Lufthansa Group [passengers] (
Lufthansa
, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Air Dolomiti
) for flight dates starting with the summer 2025 schedule [March 30 – ed. note].”
Lufthansa Group noted that by sharing or adding codeshare flight numbers to an existing itinerary, travelers have a wider choice of flights and more flexibility despite traveling on different carriers.
Photo: Lufthansa Group
The Germany-based group also highlighted something that it announced a week ago, namely that members of its loyalty program, Miles & More, and Volare, ITA Airways’ loyalty program, will also be able to redeem miles or points on codeshare flights.
Related
Lufthansa Miles & More Members Can Now Earn Points On ITA Airways Flights
Further integration benefits will be coming in March, including the synchronization of Lufthansa Group airlines’ and ITA Airways’ flight schedules.
Opening up new destinations
Lufthansa Group highlighted that starting with the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
summer season on March 30, select ITA Airways flights will operate under the flight codes of Austrian Airlines
, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS)
.
This includes year-round domestic flights within Italy as well as international connections from Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport
(FCO) to Athens Airport (ATH), Luqa Malta International Airport (MLA), Tirana International Airport (TIA), and Sofia Vasil Levski Airport (SOF).
“For example, from the summer flight schedule, a Lufthansa customer can book a trip with Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Rome under flight number LH236 and then combine it with ITA Airways from Rome to Brindisi under flight number LH5078, thus obtaining an additional travel option to the Lufthansa Group’s existing flight connections to Brindisi.”
Photo: ITA Airways
Dieter Vranckx, the chief commercial officer (CCO) of Lufthansa Group, said that ITA Airways is now an integral part of the group’s offering. With a single booking, a Lufthansa Group customer can now use ITA Airways’ synchronized connecting flights with their airline’s flight numbers.
“The integration of ITA Airways as part of the Lufthansa Group is progressing rapidly and now enables far-reaching advantages in the offering for our joint customers through codesharing.”
Related
Done Deal: ITA Airways Officially Joins Lufthansa Group As 41% Stake Acquisition Completed
ITA Airways is now officially part of the Lufthansa Group of airlines.
Competing internationally
Meanwhile, in a policy brief Lufthansa Group published for the month of February, the company detailed that following the acquisition of the initial 41% stake, the long-term goal is a 100% takeover of ITA Airways. The ability to acquire shares came into effect sometime in 2025.
Photo: Lufthansa Group
The group also detailed it received a lot of support from politicians, including the German government, which was in contrast to the European Commission (EC). The latter had outlined its concerns and mandated remedy measures in order to protect competition in Europe in March 2024.
“European competition law must be applied more efficiently in the future. Because consolidation in Europe will continue. It must.”
Lufthansa Group argued that European carriers must grow and reach a certain size to compete against international airlines from Asia, Middle East, and the United States, concluding that strong domestic airlines offer European citizens connectivity and mobility within the European Union (EU) and beyond.
Related
ITA Airways Formally Leaves SkyTeam & Joins Star Alliance After Lufthansa Deal
Many of the reciprocal benefits between the Lufthansa Group and ITA Airways will come online on March 30.
